Manhattan Borough President 'Upset' & 'Troubled' Over Lack Of DOT Action On Dangerous Crosswalk
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal are calling out the Department of Transportation for what they say is a lack of action on the so-called "bow-tie of death" on the Upper West Side.
The crosswalk, located on 71st Street between Broadway and Amsterdam, has been the site of 34 accidents within the last year, according to Stringer.
"Crossing this intersection has been like a 100-meter dash against death. And the DOT continues to move at a snail's pace," Stringer told 1010 WINS on Monday.
Close to one year ago, Stringer and Rosenthal called on the DOT for immediate action to implement a comprehensive safety redesign of the intersection by the spring of 2011.
However, according to Stringer, despite "a lot of promises" from the DOT commissioner and the police commissioner, "nothing has happened." Stringer did acknowledge that some crosswalk timers had been installed, but wasn't impressed.
"Knowing how much time you have is not the same as actually having more time," Stringer said.
Both politicians said the intersection posed a significant danger to cyclists and pedestrians, especially elderly people.
"I'm upset, I'm troubled. I don't want to go to a press conference because there has been a tragic accident. I believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but we've got to get this moving,"
Resident BB Robinson said she was frustrated because little has been done to make the area safer.
"I'm troubled by the bureaucracy, I'm sick of all the planning and all the studies," she told WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.
WCBS 880's Marla Diamond Speaks With Area Residents About The Crosswalk
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The Department of Transportation responded to the criticism later Monday afternoon saying a "sweeping safety makeover" was in the works with a special emphasis on senior citizens.
"Work will begin next month now that we've resolved the major challenges of building atop a major, active subway station. Citywide, the last four years have been the safest, with the fewest traffic fatalities in the century that records have been kept," Spokesman Seth Solomonow said.
SOUND-OFF: Have You Encountered The Dangers Of The Crosswalk? Share Your Thoughts In The Comments Section...
